Pickleballers by Ilana Long
Published by Berkley on November 12, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
A pickleball newbie looking to recover from life’s swings and misses crosses paddles with love in this debut romantic comedy.
Meg Bloomberg is in a pickle. When Meg’s ex turns out to be a total dink, she and her bestie take off for a mood-lifting pickleball excursion to Bainbridge Island. It’s supposed to be an easy lob, a way to heal, not the opening serve to a new courtside romance that’s doomed to spin out.
No matter how Meg tries, she can’t shake her feelings for Ethan Fine. A charismatic environmental consultant and Bainbridge local, Ethan seems like the real dill. But when Meg discovers that Ethan is sabotaging her home court, she decides the match is over.
It’s time for Meg to take control of her own game. And maybe, just maybe…love will bounce back.
I have never played pickleball, but I sure had a good time learning about it and watching Meg and Ethan fall in love as they attempted to conquer this sport.
Meg immersed herself in the sport following her surprise divorce. It was her first step in rediscovering parts of herself that she sacrificed for her marriage. The action sequences were lots of fun and filled with a plethora of rom-com moments, but Long also gave Meg some great people to support her on her journey. Her relationship with Annie was one of those female friendships I relish, and the cross generational friendship she formed with Rooster was stellar as well.
Then there was Ethan. He was doll! He seemed like the enemy at first, but he really did want to make everyone happy in some way while also getting his job done. They both clicked together so well and were able to be open and honest with such ease. They formed a great team, and I was happy to root for them at all times.
There was this one storyline that I wasn't sure about, and then at 75%, there was this fantastic reveal that had me giddy. Another one came really close to the end, and I was glad I paid attention to some of those clues.
Overall, I had so much fun being part of and learning about the world of pickleball. The setting, the characters, and Meg's personal journey were all highlights for me which culminated into story that made me laugh, smile, and swoon.
One on One by Jamie Harrow
Published by Dutton on September 24, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
They call it March Madness for a reason: Anything can happen on the way to a national championship.
Eight years after graduation, Annie Radford is not happy to be back at her alma mater in her old job with the Ardwyn Tigers’ basketball team. Worse, her coworker from back in college, Ben Callahan, is still on the Tigers staff, and he’s annoyingly wholesome, hot, and clinging to a grudge against Annie for abandoning him and the team their senior year.
But as Ardwyn becomes the season’s Cinderella Story, things start heating up between Annie and Ben, too. And while neither of them can deny this could be something special, Annie’s afraid to tell Ben the truth about why she left basketball—the thing she loves most—in the first place. She’ll have to learn to trust him if they have a shot at being together.
In addition to being funny, romantic, and sexy, One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus. For readers of The Hating Game and The Ex Talk, a workplace, enemies-to-lovers debut for anyone yearning for a courtside romance, perfect for anyone who can’t get enough sports rom-coms.
Desperate for work, Annie found herself back at her alma mater, a place she had loved but had turned into a source of great pain. Will this be her chance to put her demons to rest?
This was a solid debut. I was immediately drawn to both character and rooting for them to mend their broken fences. There was this amazing energy between them, and they shared so much history. The first half of the book was fun and funny, and when Annie and Ben's friendship began to grow, I was over the moon.
The story took a bit of turn when the ugly thing that drove Annie from Ardwyn reared its ugly head. There was nothing wrong with the storyline, but for me, it overshadowed the romance. Needless to say, it was not a dealbreaker.
I was so into all the hype videos, the reality show fantasy league, and March Madness. It was easy to become fully immersed in this world and invested in these characters. I will definitely be looking out for more books from Harrow.
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